And That's That
by girawesome43
Summary: Anastasia, the bosmeric Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, must kill the Emperor. She has been thwarted once, but nothing can stand in her way now.


I opened the door to the Bannered Mare and was greeted with anxious glances, nervous "Good day"s, and the struggle to get out of my way. Sometimes going into public places in my Brotherhood armor was useful. I went to the bar and ordered a drink.

"Here you go ma'am, is there anything else I can get you?" Hulda placed my drink on the counter, taking my gold as she did so.

"I'm looking for a breton by the name of Amaund Motierre."

"Oh," Hulda glanced towards the back room. "Uh, s-sorry, but I don't know him. Can't help you there." Again, she glanced towards the door.

"Thank you for your time." I said pleasantly. Vanishing into the crowd, I made my way to the back room and slipped inside.

"I told you, I do not want to be, uh, disturbed." Unlike the last time we met, Amaund's voice shook, and he eyed my ebony bow nervously.

"Good day, Motierre. I trust you know why I'm here." He cringed at the dangerous tone my voice took.

"By the gods, you're- you're alive! But I heard, your sanctuary… Please, I had nothing to do with all of that, I swear, I wanted the Emperor dead! The true one! You must believe me, it was Maro, he-"

I raised my hand to silence him. "Where is the Emperor? The real one?"

"W-what?" He stammered, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Where is the Emperor?"

"You mean, after all that's happened, you'll still honor the contract? Thats wonderful!" I made an impatient noise and Motierre hurried on. "The Emperor, the true one, is on the Katariah. You must hurry, he is due to leave soon, and if you want to catch him in Skyrim-"

"I understand." I cut across him curtly. "Thank you for your, cooperation." I left the inn, taking the familiar road to the stables where my trusty steed, Shadowmere, waited. He was so loyal, I loved that horse more than anything. Kind of ironic how he was gifted to me by Astrid, the bitch who betrayed me on this same contract.

I had searched desperately for a dry way onto the Katariah, but to no avail. _I guess I have to swim it. _I chugged down a water-breathing potion. The water was cold, predictable, but I plunged on anyways, staying underwater.

I found a hatch near the bottom of the boat and climbed through it. I wondered about for a good ten minutes picking off agents and sailors. I finally found the Emperor's Quarters, and spent another two minutes picking the lock. I slipped in.

"And, once again, I prove Commander Maro the fool. You can't stop the Dark Brotherhood, never could." I stopped, this wasn't the welcome I was expecting. I expected Emperor Titus Mede II to call for his guards (part of why I explored the boat), to scream, not calm acceptance… "Come now, don't be shy. You haven't come all this way just to stand there gawking." He _smiled. _

I stepped forward, remaining silent. "You and I have a date with destiny, it would seem." He continued, perfectly calm, as if we were about to have a picnic. "But so it is with assassins and emperors, hmm? Yes, I must die. And you must deliver the blow. It is simply the way it is. But I wonder... would you suffer an old man a few more words before the deed is done?"

I nodded, slowly. "You will hear me out, then? Good. You will kill me, and I have accepted that fate. But regardless of your path through life, I sense in you a certain... ambition. So I ask of you a favor. An old man's dying wish. While there are many who would see me dead, there is one who set the machine in motion. This person, whomever he or she may be, must be punished for their treachery. Once you have been rewarded for my assassination, I want you to kill the very person who ordered it. Would you do me this kindness?" I didn't say anything. "Well. Perhaps you'll at least consider it, hmm? Now, on to the business at hand..."

He got up from his seat and turned to a window, admiring the view. I knocked an arrow and let it loose into his chest, right at the heart. He fell with the smallest of gasps, his face blank. I raided his room, of course, took his spare robes, his jewels, money, everything worth enough. And then I left, back to Shadowmere.

Motierre was delighted. ""Aha! You're back!"

"Emperor Titus Mede II lies dead." I told him.

"I know! I know! I received the news not moments ago! Haha! This is glorious! My friend, you may not realize it, but you have served the Empire, indeed all of Tamriel, in ways you cannot possibly imagine. Ah, but you care little for politics, am I right? You want money! And money you shall have! Your payment waits for you at a dead drop. It is inside an urn, in the very chamber where we first met, in Volunruud. Now please, go. Collect your money, and let us never look upon one another again. Our business, thank the gods, is concluded."

I whipped my dagger from my belt and stabbed him in the heart. "But we had a deal…" He moaned afterwards. I smirked, _Time to loot him and skedaddle. _He had some gems on him and some gold. I left swiftly.

It was time to get the money, then return to Nazir and tell him the story. With the money, we'll fix up the old sanctuary, and everything will be back to normal.


End file.
